Lorry driver from Goole tried to sell Ritz Hotel for £250m - court

TWO members of the billionaire Barclay family were today named as intended witnesses in the trial of a lorry driver from East Yorkshire accused of trying to sell London's Ritz Hotel for £250 million.

Sir Frederick Barclay, who owns the landmark building along with his twin brother Sir David, and Sir David's son Howard were on a list of 18 intended witnesses read out to potential jurors at the start of the four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.

Anthony Lee, 49, denies conspiracy to defraud. He is charged alongside solicitor Conn Farrell, 57, and retired construction company contracts manager Patrick Dolan.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The three are accused of defrauding Terence Collins and Marcel Boerkhoorn by falsely representing that Dolan and Lee were in a position to procure the sale of The Ritz in Piccadilly for 250 million between January 1, 2006 and March 30 2007.

Dolan, of Philip Lane, Tottenham, north London; Farrell, of Cambridge Road, Aldershot; and Lee, of Broad Lane, Beal, Goole, are all on bail.

Judge Stephen Robbins told the court a panel of 12 jurors would be sworn in tomorrow, when Anuja Dhir, for the prosecution, would begin her case.